Help ID Landing Boats

[siege1863]

Just picked up a set of twenty-three 8x10 photos marked "ARMY LANDING OPERATIONS MAR 20 1943." Of particular interest are the early type landing boats. Despite my best effort, I have not been able to identify the type boats, the location, or the unit. My initial thought was these were early Higgins boats, but the nearest design is the LCPL sold to the British. There are, however, clear differences. The beach and trees look like areas on the Gulf Coast and many "practice" landings took place on Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana.

 

Any ideas? Posted here the few images from the ebay auction. I do not have them in hand as of yet. I took a chance on them being unique.

 

[bleujacket34]

Just picked up a set of twenty-three 8x10 photos marked "ARMY LANDING OPERATIONS MAR 20 1943." Of particular interest are the early type landing boats. Despite my best effort, I have not been able to identify the type boats, the location, or the unit. My initial thought was these were early Higgins boats, but the nearest design is the LCPL sold to the British. There are, however, clear differences. The beach and trees look like areas on the Gulf Coast and many "practice" landings took place on Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana.

 

Any ideas? Posted here the few images from the ebay auction. I do not have them in hand as of yet. I took a chance on them being unique.

 

 

After looking at my ONI 54. I would say these are either LCS Landing Craft Support or LCC Landing Craft Control. But I am not totally sure till I could get a better view but I think that is what you have there. Where this is at or what unit that I do not know. I would agree probably some training somewhere in the Gulf Coast but that is the best I can venture at.

 

Andrew

[siege1863]

Additional research on the Net has led to a likely identification of the place and unit seen in the photos. I believe these were taken at the Engineer Amphibian Command training center at Camp Gordon Johnston near Carrabelle, Florida. Of the divisions that trained there, only one was present on the date marked on the photos. This was the 28th Infantry Division. Also, the officer seen in the filed jacket looks like Gen. Daniel Noce, who headed the EAC.

 

Being that Camp Gordon Johnston training was along the Gulf Of Mexico, the beach, trees, and other foliage seen in the photos suggests this is the setting.

 

 

UPDATE: Another source says the 28th ID completed its amphibious training at Johnston on March 9. The center was ordered disbanded April-May.

[mpguy80/08]

After looking at my ONI 54. I would say these are either LCS Landing Craft Support or LCC Landing Craft Control. But I am not totally sure till I could get a better view but I think that is what you have there. Where this is at or what unit that I do not know. I would agree probably some training somewhere in the Gulf Coast but that is the best I can venture at.

 

Andrew

 

Not an LCS... The LCS was 158 feet long with approx 30 foot beam, and was based on the hull of the LCI. My father served on the LCS (L) (3)-24 during WWII, and was at Okinawa. His ship picked up 40 odd survivors from the DMS Bush when she was sunk by a Kamikaze. He'd often told me of picking up a Japanese pilot in the water the day before, then hiding him in an empty ammo locker when they picked up the Bush survivors. I was able to confirm this through an extract of the ship's history in the book LCS(L), by Turner.

 

Wayne

[siege1863]

Here is a link to a full posting of the photos and identification of the landing craft...

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=65841

[bleujacket34]

Not an LCS... The LCS was 158 feet long with approx 30 foot beam, and was based on the hull of the LCI. My father served on the LCS (L) (3)-24 during WWII, and was at Okinawa. His ship picked up 40 odd survivors from the DMS Bush when she was sunk by a Kamikaze. He'd often told me of picking up a Japanese pilot in the water the day before, then hiding him in an empty ammo locker when they picked up the Bush survivors. I was able to confirm this through an extract of the ship's history in the book LCS(L), by Turner.

 

Wayne

 

Sorry guess I should have been more specific. The LCS I am referring from the ONI 54 is 36 feet long. This type of craft was created before the introduction of the LCS (L) in 1944. The manual I was looking at was before the introduction of the LCS (L).